Frank a



(No Model.)

' F. A. FOUTS.

CIGAR HOLDER. N0. 368,466. Patented Aug. 16, 1887.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR,

N. PETERS. Pholu-LiIhngrap .r, Washmgicn. D. C.

UNITE STATES FRANK A. FOUTS, OF W'ASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CIGAR-HOLDER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,466, dated August 16, 1887.

(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK A. Fours, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington, in the District ofColumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigar- I-Iolders; and I do hereby declare the following to he a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is a cigar-holder, and it is an improvement on the articleshown and claimed in my Letters Patent of the United States No. 364,50l, dated June 7, 1887.

My present improvement relates to a cigarholder having a body formed of an elastic or flexible plate or sheet, said body being pro vided with a handle and an opening for the reception of a cigar, the edge of said opening being yielding or flexible, so as to conform to cigars of different diameters, the inner part of the body of said holder being provided with radial slits communicating with the opening aforesaid and a cut through said body, whereby jaws are formed which may be parted and the opening in the holder enlarged, the face immediatelyaround said opening, or the edge thereof, or both, being provided with a ma terial adapted to protect the body from fire or heat, all of which will be fully hereinafter specified, and pointed out in the claims.

The holder is preferably formed of iudiarubber or other elastic or flexible material. It is in the nature of a shield, being adapted to protect the mustache and lips of the smoker from the fire end of a cigar.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front view of the face of the cigarholder, the jaws being closed in their normal position; and Fig.2 is a rear view thereof, with the jaws sprung apart so as to enlarge the central openin Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents an edge view of the holder, one of the jaws being raised above the line of its com pauion jaw. Fig. 5 represents an edge view of the holder with a partly-smoked cigar therein; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the holder and partly-smoked cigar, the inner end of the cigar and holder being at rest upon a flat surface, the fire end of the cigar being elevated above the surface.

. In the accompanying drawings like letters indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The letter A represents the body of the holder, shown in the form of a disk, and B is a handle, formed integral with the body A and extending outward therefrom. O indicates a central opening in said body for the reception of a cigar. A circumferential ledge or recess, D, is formed around the opening aforesaid. This recess is formed by a de pression in the face of the body A around the opening. The depression being on one side of the body only, leaves the material along the edge of the opening or wall thinner than the body portion, so that this edge will readily yield and conform to a cigar when inserted into the opening without expanding or affecting the body portion, which is comparatively thick and firm. The recess formed by said depression is filled in ,or coated with a layer of asbestus or asbestus paint or other incombustible material, or material which will protect the body of the holder from fire and heat when a cigar is consumed down to the outer face of the holder. The edge of the opening is also coated or protected. Of course it is not intended to smoke a cigar so close as to bring the tire end thereof into contact with the holder. If, however, such should occur, the body of theholder will be protected by the incombustiblc material aforesaid.

The letter F represents a out completely through the body of the holder, so as to enable a smoker to separate thejaws formed by said out and enlarge the central opening in the holder for the purpose of admitting or dis- .charging a cigar therefrom. It is not desirable to handle a cigar when the same is burned to a small fragment. Therefore, when a cigar is so reduced the smoker may discharge the same from the holder by opening the jaws. In practice the diamcter of the opening in the holder is smaller than the diameter of the average cigar, so that when the cigar is inserted into said opening the edge thereof will yield and conform to the diameter of the cigar and securely hold and clamp the same.

In order to render the edge of the opening or that portion which binds the cigar more yielding, flexible, or elastic, I provide the imner part of the holder with a series of slits,

These slits communicate with the opening aforesaid, and they extend outward radially, whereby yielding sections are formed.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. As an article of manufacture, a cigarholder consisting of a plate or sheet provided with a handle and an opening for the reception of a cigar, and also provided with a cut through the body, substantially as specified.

2. As an article of manufacture, a cigarholder consisting of a sheet or plate having a handle and provided with an opening for the reception of a cigar, the inner wall or edge of said opening being more flexible or yielding than the outer or body portion, said plate being also provided with a cut through its body, substantially as specified.

3. As an article of manufacture, a cigarholder consisting of a sheet or plate provided with an opening for the reception of a cigar, and with slits partly through the inner wall or body,which communicate with the opening aforesaid, said plate having a cut through its body and being provided with a handle, sub- FRANK A. FOUTS.

Witnesses:

J. D. WIcK HEAZELTON, FRANK O. VAN GoRnnR. 

